


breathing half a breath since you're away

by orphan_account



Series: Harry/Louis Sickfics [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 09:19:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12230007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Harry bites his lip, squeezing his mum's hands a little. “Is he okay?” He asks her, knowing how Louis can get sometimes when he's alone for a while. Harry hates leaving him, and only does it when he has to. Anne squeezes back, smiling softly.





	breathing half a breath since you're away

**Author's Note:**

> It feels like a never post two fics in the same fandom anymore.
> 
> I have a bank of harry/louis sick fics that I'm currently writing and i might post with this one in a series, so stick around if you're interested in that.
> 
> I currently have a bank of Harry/Louis sickfics that I'm working on and hoping to get finished and up soon in some sort of series, so if you're interested in that, stick around. But for now, this is the first one, so enjoy!

Louis takes a deep breath and blinks away tears as he pushes open the door to Anne's house with one hand. He takes one step into the foyer and instantly feels at home. He sets his bag down by the shoe chest and toes off his trainers, lining them up neatly along the skirting board.

He looks towards the kitchen door with a grin when it swings open, Anne's cheerful voice floating through it. “Louis!” She calls, walking towards him, arms outstretched to hold his face in her hands. “I thought you and Harry weren't coming up until tomorrow?” She asks, but she doesn't sound even the least bit disappointed to see him early.

“Harry'll get here tomorrow, but I was getting a little restless at home by myself so I thought I'd come up a little early if that's okay?” He looks down at his feet, sock-clad toes sinking into the fabric of the rug Harry bought his mum from a French market back on their first European tour. He knows that she won't be angry, but he also knows that he probably should have called ahead of time.

“Of course it is,” Anne says with a sad smile, fingers gently pressing into his jaw so that he'll meet her eyes again, thumbs stroking over his freshly-shaven cheeks. She sighs softly before wrapping her arms around Louis' neck and pulling him closer. “Come here, baby.”

Louis goes willingly, fitting easily into her arms and losing himself in her warm embrace. He hides his face in her neck, unable to prevent the tears that gather beneath his eyelids as she gently rocks him from side to side. He hasn't seen her in so long. Too long. “I've missed you, mum,” Louis whispers into her hair.

“I've missed you too, my sweet boy.” When Anne pulls back and looks at him again, she also looks a bit teary-eyed. She presses a kiss to his forehead before taking one of his hands in hers and tugging him towards the kitchen. “Let's get you a cup of tea. We need a catch-up.”

 

 

Harry turns up at noon the next day, instantly seeking a warm hug from his mum as soon as he enters his childhood home, just as Louis had. He's just getting his phone out of his pocket to show Anne some pictures of their newly decorated living room in their LA house when he remembers. He sits up from where he'd been slumped against his mother's side and frowns at her.

“I forgot to ask, have you heard from Louis? I think he's had his phone shut off all day.” Harry asks, fingers nervously clutching at his thighs, hoping that she could give him some good news. “I'm getting a little worried.” He follows it up with when Anne doesn't look the least bit concerned.

“It's fine, baby. He's asleep upstairs.” Anne replies, gently prying his hands from where he's digging his nails into his legs and stroking her fingers over his rings. Harry's frown only deepens at her response.

“He's here?” He asks, not expecting Louis to get to Holmes Chapel before him. He must have left London very early in the morning, which was not like Louis at all.

“He turned up last night. He said he didn't want to be alone at the house anymore.” Anne looks a bit sad when she says this, and Harry knows that it's because she cares about Louis so deeply. He's basically the second son that she never had, and she loves him just as much as she loves both Gemma and Harry.

Harry bites his lip, squeezing his mum's hands a little. “Is he okay?” He asks her, knowing how Louis can get sometimes when he's alone for a while. Harry hates leaving him and only does it when he has to. Anne squeezes back, smiling softly.

“He's alright, from what I can tell. We had a bottle of wine and he got a little teary but I think he's glad that he's not on his own anymore.” Harry nods guiltily, and Anne can see the regret in his eyes, but before she can say anything, he says it for her.

“I didn't want to leave him. I never want him to feel lonely, I love him so much. But-” Anne cuts him off.

“I know, baby. Believe me, I know.” She untangles one of her hands from his and brings it up to stroke his hair back from his face, tucking it behind his ear. “He knows too, alright. And he loves you too. You can't go blaming yourself for these things.” Harry nods with a sad smile, tipping himself forwards until he's wrapped up in his mother's embrace.

He lets himself be held until he can't stand being in the same house with his boy and not sharing his space any longer, and he sits up. He sighs. “Put the kettle on, I'm gonna go up and get him.”

“Don't wake him up, sweetie,” Anne responds, but she knows that he won't have it.

“I haven't seen him in almost two weeks, mum. I cannot wait any longer for a cuddle and a kiss from my boy.” Anne rolls her eyes but follows him out of the room when he heads towards the stairs, but she pauses at the kitchen door, reaching out to tug on his wrist.

He turns to look at her, eyebrows raised. “I've missed you, baby.” She says, and Harry grins.

“I've missed you too.” He murmurs into her hair when he pulls her in for another hug. He really loves his mum.

 

 

Harry will never stop loving the image of Louis tucked up in his childhood bed. Right now he's curled up on his side, only his head peeking out from the top of the duvet and the blanket that he's draped over himself. He's always too cold.

Harry quietly crosses the room and lays down on the mattress behind Louis. He wraps an arm around Louis' waist and presses himself as close to the older boy's back as he can from on top of the covers, ducking his head to press his nose into the back of Louis' neck. He kisses the warm skin there gently until Louis starts to wiggle a little.

“Morning, gorgeous.” Harry murmurs when Louis sighs, humming gently as Harry nibbles on his skin. He doesn't respond in words, but he rolls over onto his other side and presses his face into Harry's neck, poking his tongue out to lick Harry's neck quickly in a way that makes him endlessly endearing. To Harry anyway.

“What was that for, sweetheart?” Harry asks, nosing at Louis' hairline, breathing in the scent of his shampoo that always lingers, even days after he's washed it. Harry loves it.

“I love you. I missed you.” Louis replies, his voice a little croaky like it always is just after he wakes up. Louis coughs a little after the words scratch up his throat.

“So you decided to lick me?” Harry asks, teasing him. He can feel Louis frown, but he isn't prepared for it when Louis sinks his teeth into his neck. “Alright, alright, I'm sorry. I missed you too. And I love you so, so much.” He says with amusement in his voice, and Louis soothes the skin of his neck with a lingering kiss, his tongue sneaking out from between his lips again to poke at the sore spot.

After a minute of just lying in the silence, finally feeling at home now that his boy is in his rightful place in Harry's arms, Harry finally speaks his mind. “How are you?” He asks, and it may sound like an ordinary greeting to anyone else, but Louis instantly knows what Harry's getting at, tensing up a little. Harry just rubs his back and presses kisses into his hair.

“Better now,” Louis says eventually. “Wanted to- felt like I was gonna do something at stupid on my own so I thought being here would stop me.” Louis lets out a shaky breath, pressing another kiss to Harry's neck before reluctantly pulling away and sitting up, legs crossed, sheets pooled around his waist.

He's bare-chested, so Harry can see the marks left from the last time Louis was alone and couldn't control his impulses and Harry wasn't there to control them for him. But he's getting better. Just by coming to Anne's when he felt himself getting bad again, it shows that he's getting better. But Harry still worries.

Harry sits up as well, taking Louis' hands in his just like his mum had done to him moments before. “I'm proud of you. Thank you for keeping yourself safe, and thank you for talking to me.” Louis nods, but he still tears up, a soft sob escaping from his throat. Harry takes him into his arms, rocking him gently until his heart stops beating so fast and his tears dry up.

“Mum's making tea. Let's go downstairs, yeah?” Harry says eventually, and Louis nods, wisps of feathery hair tickling Harry's cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, if you like it, please reblog [this](http://studying-and-rainbows.tumblr.com/post/165911925691/breathing-half-a-breath-since-youre-away) on [my tumblr](studying-and-rainbows.tumblr.com).
> 
> If you want to make me smile, maybe tell me your favourite sentence in the comments?


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